United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs


The United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs is the head of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, the department concerned with veterans' benefits, health care, and national veterans' memorials and cemeteries. The Secretary is a member of the Cabinet and second to last at sixteenth in the line of succession to the presidency. Until the appointment of David Shulkin in 2017, all appointees and acting appointees to the post were United States military veterans, but that is not a requirement to fill the position.
When the post of Secretary is vacant, the United States Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs or any other person designated by the President serves as Acting Secretary until the President nominates and the United States Senate confirms a new Secretary.

List of Secretaries of Veterans Affairs

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Anthony Principi served as Acting Secretary in his capacity as Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs September 26, 1992 – January 20, 1993.
Hershel W. Gober served as Acting Secretary in his capacity as Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs July 1, 1997 – January 2, 1998 and July 25, 2000 – January 20, 2001.
West served as Acting Secretary from January 2, 1998 to May 5, 1998.
Gordon H. Mansfield served as Acting Secretary in his capacity as Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs October 1 – December 20, 2007.

Living former Secretaries of Veterans Affairs

As of, there are six living former Secretaries of Veterans Affairs, the oldest being Jim Nicholson. The most recent Secretary of Veterans Affairs to die, as well as the recently serving Secretary to die, was Togo D. West, Jr., on March 8, 2018.
NameTerm of officeDate of birth
Anthony Principi2001–2005
Jim Nicholson2005–2007
James Peake2007–2009
Eric Shinseki2009–2014
Robert A. McDonald2014–2017
David Shulkin2017–2018